Wax applicator



A. F. ELLIS WAX APPLICATOR Nov. 15, 1955 Filed Oct. 27 1950 n 2 1 a m w; ,fru f w Wi 2 Z 3 R 6 My mmfi 5 m W0 T /W M my V, 5 a G l a F 3 United States Patent WAX APPLICATOR Alfred F. Ellis, Roseland, N. J. Application October 27, 1950, Serial No. 192,437

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-134) This invention relates to devices for applying waxing materials and the like to surfaces for cleaning and/r polishing purposes.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide a device for applying waxing and cleaning materials, such as liquid wax, glass wax, car plate, and the like, to surfaces to be cleaned and/or polished, such as floors, windows, car bodies, and furniture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a waxing device including a tank, an applier such as a synthetic sponge or otherwick-material portion, and means for injecting liquid wax and the like into said applier portion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for applying waxing and cleaning materials, including means for allowing a controlled flow of such materials at an adjustable rate to an applier portion.

Astill further object of my invention is to provide a device for applying waxing materials and the like, which is formed of a transparent material, such as a plastic or glass, thereby clearly showing the amount of fluid therein.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for applying waxing materials and the tike, comprising a tank with small openings distributed along the side and to which synthetic sponge or other wick material is connected.

A still further object of my invention is toprovide a device for applying waxing materials and the like comprising a tank, an extension therefrom, and a detachable handle on said extension and functioning as a plug for closing said tank.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for conveniently applying waxing materials and the like, comprising a generally cylindrical tank, a handle extending from a side thereof, and forming a continuation of said tank, thereby increasing its capacity, and a sponge extending from said tank at an angle of approximately 45 to the axis of said handle and connected to said tank around a nearly semi-cylindrical portion thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts, will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, axially of the handle, with a part in section on the line II of Fig. 2, of one embodiment of my applicator.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line IIII of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows, with parts in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2, with parts in section, and showing another embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawing accompanying the application, wherein the parts of an embodiment are shown to scale and full size, like parts being designated by like reference characters, and first considering in detail the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a liquid applicator particularly adapted for applying waxing materials, and generally designated by the reference character 11. This applicator comprises, in general, a head or tank portion 12, desirably formed of transparent or translucent plastic material, examples being cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, polystyrene, methyl methacrylate resin and phenol-formaldehyde. It may be constructed from a hollow cylindrical portion 13 closed at each end by a circular transparent plastic disc 14, cemented thereto. This cylindrical portion forms the main reservoir for the liquid waxing material or the like, but is desirably supplemented in capacity by a handle portion 15 extending from one side and generally perpendicular to the axis of the hollow cylindrical portion 13.

At the place of connection between the hollow cylindrical portion 13 and the handle portion 15, there is desirably formed an aperture 16 corresponding in diameter with theinner diameter of the handle portion 15, so that said aperture forms an extension of the inner section of the handle portion 15. The abutting edge surface 17 of the handle portion is desirably shaped to conform with the outer surface of the cylindical portion 13, and cemented thereto.

In the present embodiment, I have provided a piston 18 which is reciprocable in the handle portion 15, said latter for that purpose being hollow cylindrical and desirably formed of transparent plastic like the tank portion 13. .Said piston 18 is mounted on a plastic or metal rod 19 and desirably comprises a plastic or metal nut 21 threaded to the rod, the threads on the latter being indicated at 22, a washer 23, desirably formed of a plastic or fiber, apertured to receive the rod and abutting the nut 21, a leather gasket 24 larger in diameter than the interior diameter of the handle portion 15 so as to engage the inner surface of said handle along an appreciable length, as indicated at25, a plastic or metal Washer 26, and a plastic or metal nut 27 threaded to the inner end portion of rod 19 and holding all parts of the piston assembled against the nut 21.

The outer end of the rod 19 is desirably provided with a plastic or metal knob or button 28 comprising a plug portion 29 which closes an aperture 31 in the end of a desirably plastic cap 32. The inner portion of said cap is externally threaded, as indicated at 33, to correspond with internal threads 34 provided in the outer end portion of the handle 15, and its exterior or peripheral surface knurled or roughened, as indicated at 30, to facilitate turning. This means that the cap 32 may be threaded into the outer end of the handle 15 to effect a closure thereof. The piston rod is reciprocable and guided in a corresponding aperture 35 in said cap. The rod is assembled with the cap before the piston is connected to its inner end, whereupon the cap-piston assembly may be introduced into the handle, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will thus be seen that the plug portion 29 of the operating button 28 may eifect a closure of the cap 32, or the button may be pulled out to withdraw the piston 18 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the outer portion of the handle. The button 28 is desirably knurled or formed non-circular in outline for convenient handling.

For the convenient application of waxing material or the like from the tank 12 to a surface to which the material is to be applied, I secure along one side of said tank an absorbent or wick material 36. A preferred material is synthetic sponge,although I do not wish to be limited to such. Such sponge, as manufactured has differential flow properties, that is, it has a direction in which fluid flows best therethrough. The sponge portion should.

therefore, be attached to the tank portion 12, so that the fluid in said tank flows first to a free-flowing side of said sponge and then more freely from said tank toward the far or extreme end surface 38 of the sponge 36, than to the lateral surfaces of said sponge. The tank-adjacent sur face of the material 36 is desirably cut to conform with the cylindrical surface of the tank 12, so as to engage and be cemented to the outer surface of said tank desirably around approximately 180 of the tank periphery, as shown most clearly in Fig' 2.

For convenience in application, the material 36 is connected so as not to extend axially with the handle 15, but offset diagonally at an angle of approximately 45 from the axis of said handle as shown most clearly in the drawing. The material 36 also desirably extends a convenient distance away from the tank portion 12. Provision is made for feeding material from the tank to the portion of said material 36 adjacent said tank. In the present embodiment I have shown a plurality of circular apertures 37 through the wall portion of said tank to which the material 36 is secured. as by cement, but it will be understood that instead of circular apertures I may provide a rectangular or otherwise shaped slot, or slots, for feeding the material from the tank to the applying portion 36. The extreme end surface 38 of the applying portion is desirably approximately flat and rectangular in outline.

A preferred manner of using my applicator, assembled as shown in Fig. 2, for the application of for example, glass wax to windows, is to first moisten the sponge portion with water, if it is dry, remove the cap 32 and its associated rod and piston, pour in a quantity of glass wax, or other liquid to be used, to fill the tank, and then, with the piston either retracted or positioned as in Fig. 2, replace the cap 32 by threading it into the handle 15. The button 28 may then be either manually pressed in until the desired amount of wax is fed through the relatively small openings 37 to the sponge or applier portion 36, or the piston reciprocated until the sponge is sulficiently charged with wax. The applicator may then be grasped by the handle 15, and the portion 36 rubbed along windows to apply the desired amount of glass wax or other liquid contained therein. After the glass wax has dried, it may be wiped off with a cloth. Before putting the applicator away after use, it is desirable to remove the waxing liquid from the tank and handle, squeeze out the sponge portion, wash out the parts with hot water, and wring the sponge as dry as possible, to avoid caking with hardened wax.

It will be understood, of course, that my reference to glass Wax is only illustrative and not limiting, as car polishing material may be applied to surfaces of a vehicle in a similar manner, as well as other surfaces to which waxing or cleaning material is to be applied.

Although the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 may, of course, be used for applying floor wax, it will generally be more convenient to use an embodiment such as shown in Fig. 3, as supplemented by Fig. l, for applying Wax to floors. In this embodiment, usable only with the tank portion lower than the handle portion to avoid leakage through an air vent to be described, the tank portion 13 may correspond with the portion 13 of the previous embodiment. The handle portion 15, while generally corresponding with the handle portion 15 of the previous embodiment is, in the present embodiment, formed with an aperture 39, threaded and receiving a correspondingly threaded plug 41. The plug, in the present embodiment, has a head or button 42 which may correspond generally with the head or button 28 of the preceding embodiment, said head being knurled or non-circular at its outer portion, although its inner portion may be cylindrical, as indicated at 43.

The threaded portion 44 is desirably smaller than the head portion and from its inner end projects a tube 45 having a bore 40 continuous with an aperture 46 which extends through the head portion and its threaded portion.

The head portion 42 and its tube 45 may all be formed of plastic material and the size of the bore 40 and length of the tube 45 may correspond with that needed to allow the liquid wax, or other liquid contained in the tank, to feed at a desired rate to the sponge or applier portion 36, while at the same time avoiding leakage from the plug 41. For this purpose the tube 45 may be replaceable by a tube of a different length and/ or having a different bore, or may be of malleable material, so that its bore may be adjusted by squeezing the inner portion or by expanding it slightly, as desired, to get a desired rate of flow to the sponge or applier portion 36. As in the preceding embodiment apertures, not shown in Fig. 3 but shown in Fig. l and there designated 37, may serve for the flow of liquid wax or the like from the tank portion 13 to the sponge 36 The outer end of the handle or tank extension portion 15 is desirably threaded, as indicated at 34 and a handle extension 47, desirably formed of Wood or hollow plastic, the inner end of which is provided with corresponding threads 33 is threadably connected thereto, to also form a closure for the tank, as illustrated. The length of the handle extension 47 may correspond with that of an ordinary floor mop, so the device may conveniently be used by a person when in upright position for applying wax to floors.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an applicator for applying waxing material or the like to any desired surface. If the material is so viscous that it is desired to inject it into the sponge or applier portion, then I may use a piston device, such as shown in Fig. 2, for forcibly filling the pores of the sponge or applier portion with fluid to be used. If the device is to be used on windows, car bodies, or the like, then I may use a short handle, such as illustrated in Fig. 2. However, if I desire to apply such wax to floors, for example, then I may replace the cap, piston, and piston rod of Fig. 2, with a handle extension such as designated 47 in Fig. 3 for the more convenient application of such material to surfaces at greater distances from the hands of an operator.

If, on the contrary, the material to be applied needs no ejection into the pores of the sponge or the like, but will flow by gravity without assistance, then I may use a device such as shown in 3 with means for allowing air at a controlled rate to feed to the handle, the length of which is such as to adapt the device for convenient use.

It will be understood, however, that even with relatively light liquids I may still use a device such as shown in Fig. 2, as the piston is not necessarily employablc for forcibly ejecting waxing material into the pores of a sponge or the like, as with relatively watery material, the tank and handle may be filled and the device used with the the piston rod and its piston in outermost position, and only gradually pushed in as the applicator needs more fluid in its sponge portion. In such an event it is particularly desirable to have a tight fit between the rod 19 and the cap portion 32.

Although preferred embodiments of my invention have been disclosed, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a T- shaped tank for holding waxing liquid and the like, formed as a main cylindrical portion and a hollow handle portion extending without constriction in cross section from its side, the abutting edge of said handle portion conforming with the outer surface of said cylindrical portion, said cylindrical portion having an aperture conforming in size and position with the bore of said handle portion, one cylindrical side of said main portion angularly offset from the handle portion being perforated for dispensing liquid from said tank, a cap threadably connected to and closing the outer end of said handle portion, a

piston reciprocable in said handle portion, a rod extending from the outer end of said piston for controlling the position thereof, said cap portion being apertured and guidably receiving said rod for reciprocating movement in said handle portion, a knob on the end of said rod and forming a plug which closes the apertured cap portion when said piston is adjacent said main portion, and an absorbent applier covering the perforated side of said main portion and connected thereto around approximately 180 of its periphery for receiving liquid therefrom.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the applier is a synthetic sponge of differential flow properties, with a free flowing side secured to one side of said tank so that liquid from said tank leads through said sponge to its outer surface more freely than laterally.

3. A device for applying Waxing fluid and the like to a surface to be polished, comprising a tank formed of transparent plastic material, a synthetic sponge portion of difierential-flow properties with a free-flowing side secured to one side of said tank, so that liquid from said tank feeds through said sponge to its outermost surface more freely than laterally, openings through that portion of the wall of said tank to which said sponge portion is secured for feeding such fluid thereto, a hollow transparent handle on, and in free communication with, said tank, and means for manually adjusting the flow of fluid through said openings to said sponge.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, in which the means for manually adjusting the flow of fluid through the openings to the sponge comprises an adjustable air inlet device mounted on said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 769,341 Garnet Sept. 6, 1904 995,769 Coleman June 20, 1911 1,535,304 Ger-din Apr. 28, 1925 1,726,399 Lipton Aug. 27, 1929 2,187,671 Suddarth Jan. 16, 1940 2,299,295 Battle Oct. 20, 1942 2,308,215 Stern Jan. 12, 1943 2,521,967 Dean Sept. 12, 1950 

